MANILA – Luigi Vera, managing director of Am-Phil Group, is definitely doing something right.

Vera is one of the founders of Chili’s in the Philippines, helping the American restaurant brand grow in the country over the past 20 years.

Even with the emergence of new international franchises, Chili’s remains a force in the local dining scene. Two more restaurants at Robinsons Galleria and Bonifacio High Street are set to open this year, with the rest of the branches undergoing a facelift to keep up with the “contemporary” look already rolled out in Chili’s in the US.

On top of these, Am-Phil Group has also expanded to a mix of homegrown and international concepts – Super Bowl, Tokyo Tonteki, Nanbantei and Salvatore Cuomo and Bar.

Vera recently sat down with ABS-CBN News to share his thoughts about taking a leap into the restaurant industry with his engineering background, his biggest challenges over the past two decades, and tips for those who are starting out.

Learn how to properly run a restaurant with Vera’s five important tips:

1. Consistency is key

The items they first served when they opened Chili’s in the Philippines 20 years ago are the same dishes that are loved by customers today, according to Vera.

“The burgers, fajitas, ribs and crispers are still our bestsellers. It hasn’t changed. Pinapalitan lang namin ‘yung mga other items, the secondary items, pero ‘yun pa rin ‘yung highest,” he said.

Vera went on to stress the importance of having the same quality and portion size: “The one thing we said we wanted when we started was consistency. Meron ‘yung iba they adjust the taste, sabi ko we don’t have to… The only thing we changed is we started serving white rice, kasi meron pa ring humihingi ng kanin.”

“There needs to be a certain taste profile. As you follow that system, every day, day in and day out, ganoon ang lalabas na food and people will not be disappointed,” he added. “Hindi ba ang biggest problem nila sa restaurant ‘pag nag-iiba ‘yung lasa? [Sasabihin nila] ‘Ay iba na, ay umalis na ‘yung foreign chef.’ Sa Chili’s, it’s always the same.”

“If you have to earn more money, just raise the price a bit. Don’t make the portions smaller.”

2. Don’t be too obsessed with competition

Perhaps one of the reasons behind the staying power of Chili’s in the Philippines is because the brand is not easily swayed by trends set by new restaurants.

While they are still open to change and growth, Vera said they do not make an effort to directly respond to their competitors. “Later on, it dies down. Uso-uso lang ‘yan eh, babalik din sila… later on, it kinda equates.”

“We don’t do something specifically to combat them, but we still work on our programs to keep them coming back. We add value offers,” he added. “Aalamin ko ‘yung ginagawa nila, but not necessarily tatapatan namin sila. We have our own thing also.”

3. Happy staff, happy guests

Vera said one of the most important things he learned in running a restaurant chain is putting the right people.

“Put them there not because they’re smart, but because they’re dedicated,” he said. “In our company we always talk about how we work with each other. Noong una, meron kaming mga tao na parang they don’t get along with the others.”

He mentioned some of the things that restaurant owners and managers should watch out for: “Iyong iba maboka pero petiks ‘pag ‘di ka nakatingin. Meron ‘yung iba, magaling pero ‘di pumapasok on time, or absent nang absent.”

“We’ve learned how to recruit. Napapansin ko ‘yung mga managers namin, they choose people ‘yung mga mababait, ‘yung hardworking. Sabi nila mas gusto nila ‘yung sumusunod kasi pwede naman silang turuan. ‘Yung iba kasi kahit marami nang alam, nagiging pasaway lang,” he added.

Vera said having loyal and efficient staff will translate to good customer service, so he takes it very seriously.

“May mga ibang restaurants na packed meals lang, ‘yung iba no meals at all. Dito, they cook it on site. We try to be generous sa mga leaves, may medical assistance, ganyan… I want people to stay here because they want to stay here, not because they’re forced to stay, or parang nahihiya or utang na loob,” he said.

4. Stick to what you do best

Vera said it’s okay to experiment once in a while, but do not try to offer everything to your customers as it will put a strain on your restaurant.

“We’ve tried different bar promos, but it’s really the food that drives the business. I can’t be everything to everybody,” he explained.

Even after 20 years, Chili’s has yet to open a branch outside of Metro Manila. Vera said they could have done it, but he has chosen to stay in an area he is already familiar with.

“It’s like being in a foreign place. Hindi mo kilala kung sino ‘yung mga tao doon, then you have to build a back office setup. Kahit na it’s one store lang, you have to have a purchasing person, accounting and HR,” he said.

5. Consider every year a milestone

For Vera, the 20th anniversary is just as important as the years before it.

That said, they are not going to have anything particularly special in their second decade in the industry.

“We’re just continuing the programs we’ve set out for the year. We have new items coming out and we’re opening to new restaurants,” he said.

“Each year is a milestone for us,” he ended.